1) Musée du Louvre 🎨
The world’s largest art museum, home to the Mona Lisa, the Winged Victory of Samothrace, and thousands of masterpieces across millennia. The glass pyramid is a modern icon.
- 📍 Address: Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris
- 🕒 Hours: Mon/Thu/Sat/Sun 09:00–18:00; Fri 09:00–21:45; closed Tue
- 💶 Price: ~€17 (free for EU residents under 26; special passes/discounts available)
- 🚇 Access: Métro Palais Royal–Musée du Louvre (L1, L7)
- 💡 Tip: Enter via the Carousel du Louvre for shorter lines; book timed tickets in advance.
2) Rue de l’Université 📸
A serene street in the 7th offering photogenic, postcard-style views of the Eiffel Tower between elegant façades.
- 📍 Address: Rue de l’Université, 75007 Paris (near Quai Branly)
- 🕒 Hours: 24/7 public street
- 💶 Price: Free
- 🚇 Access: Alma-Marceau (L9), RER C Pont de l’Alma, or Champ de Mars–Tour Eiffel
- 💡 Tip: Come early morning for soft light and fewer people.
3) Printemps Rooftop 🌇
A panoramic terrace atop the Printemps Haussmann department store, with sweeping views over the Opéra and Eiffel Tower.
- 📍 Address: 64 Boulevard Haussmann, 75009 Paris
- 🕒 Hours: Typically daily ~10:00–20:00 (Sun often 11:00–20:00)
- 💶 Price: Free access; café prices vary
- 🚇 Access: Havre–Caumartin (L3, L9), Auber (RER A), Opéra (L3, L7, L8)
- 💡 Tip: Sunset hour delivers magical light for photos.
4) Bourse de Commerce – Pinault Collection 🌀
A stunning circular building showcasing contemporary art from the Pinault Collection, under a historic dome.
- 📍 Address: 2 Rue de Viarmes, 75001 Paris
- 🕒 Hours: Usually 11:00–19:00; late opens certain days; closed Tue
- 💶 Price: ~€14–€18; concessions available
- 🚇 Access: Les Halles (RER A/B/D), Étienne Marcel (L4)
- 💡 Tip: Combine with Les Halles and Palais Royal for a compact artsy walk.
5) Place des Vosges 🧱
Paris’s oldest planned square, a perfect brick-and-arcade jewel in the Marais, with lawns, fountains, and Victor Hugo’s house.
- 📍 Address: Place des Vosges, 75004 Paris
- 🕒 Hours: Park area generally ~07:00–21:00 (varies by season)
- 💶 Price: Free (Hugo’s house: variable)
- 🚇 Access: Saint-Paul (L1), Chemin Vert (L8), Bastille (L1, L5, L8)
- 💡 Tip: Arcade cafés are great for people-watching on rainy days.
6) Collège des Bernardins 🕯️
A restored 13th-century Cistercian college with soaring Gothic halls, hosting exhibitions, talks, and concerts.
- 📍 Address: 20 Rue de Poissy, 75005 Paris
- 🕒 Hours: Vary by event/exhibition; check program
- 💶 Price: Often free to enter common areas; events ticketed
- 🚇 Access: Maubert–Mutualité (L10), Cardinal Lemoine (L10)
- 💡 Tip: Look for evening concerts in the nave for magical acoustics.
7) Passage Jouffroy 🪟
A 19th-century covered passage with glass roof, antique shops, the Grévin wax museum, and vintage charm.
- 📍 Address: 10–12 Boulevard Montmartre / 9 Rue de la Grange-Batelière, 75009
- 🕒 Hours: Typically ~07:00–22:00 (shops vary)
- 💶 Price: Free (shopping extra)
- 🚇 Access: Grands Boulevards (L8, L9), Richelieu–Drouot (L8, L9)
- 💡 Tip: Pair with Passage des Panoramas just opposite (see #19).
8) Musée de l’Orangerie 🌿
Intimate museum famed for Monet’s Water Lilies in two oval rooms; also strong collections of Modigliani, Renoir, Cézanne.
- 📍 Address: Jardin des Tuileries, Place de la Concorde side, 75001
- 🕒 Hours: ~09:00–18:00; closed Tue
- 💶 Price: ~€12.50–€14
- 🚇 Access: Concorde (L1, L8, L12), Tuileries (L1)
- 💡 Tip: Visit at opening to enjoy the Nymphéas in calm silence.
9) Odette (Choux à la crème) 🧁
Tiny, picturesque pâtisserie near Notre-Dame, specializing in perfect cream-puff choux—irresistible for a sweet stop.
- 📍 Address: 77 Rue Galande, 75005 Paris
- 🕒 Hours: Typically late morning–evening; varies by day
- 💶 Price: ~€2.5–€3.5 per choux; boxes available
- 🚇 Access: Saint-Michel–Notre-Dame (RER B/C), Cluny–La Sorbonne (L10)
- 💡 Tip: Grab a box and enjoy them on the nearby Square René-Viviani benches.
10) Pont Alexandre III 🌉
Paris’s most ornate bridge, with gilded statues and grand lamps, spanning the Seine between Invalides and Grand/ Petit Palais.
- 📍 Address: Pont Alexandre III, 75008–75007
- 🕒 Hours: 24/7
- 💶 Price: Free
- 🚇 Access: Invalides (L8, L13, RER C), Champs-Élysées–Clemenceau (L1, L13)
- 💡 Tip: Blue hour turns it into a cinematic photo set.
11) Rue Crémieux 🌈
A colorful, pastel-painted residential street that’s Insta-famous—please be respectful of residents while visiting.
- 📍 Address: Rue Crémieux, 75012 Paris
- 🕒 Hours: 24/7 public street
- 💶 Price: Free
- 🚇 Access: Gare de Lyon (L1, L14, RER A/D)
- 💡 Tip: Go early; keep noise low—this is a living neighborhood.
12) Galeries Lafayette Haussmann 🛍️
Legendary department store with a breathtaking Art-Nouveau dome and a panoramic rooftop; fashion, gourmet, and beauty under one roof.
- 📍 Address: 40 Boulevard Haussmann, 75009
- 🕒 Hours: ~10:00–20:00 (Sun often 11:00–20:00)
- 💶 Price: Free entry; shopping varies
- 🚇 Access: Chaussée d’Antin–La Fayette (L7, L9), Opéra (L3, L7, L8)
- 💡 Tip: Don’t miss the free rooftop terrace for skyline views.
13) Basilique du Sacré-Cœur ⛪
White-domed basilica atop Montmartre with one of the best free panoramas of Paris; interior mosaics are splendid.
- 📍 Address: 35 Rue du Chevalier-de-La-Barre, 75018
- 🕒 Hours: Basilica daily ~06:00–22:30; dome hours vary (ticketed)
- 💶 Price: Church free; dome ~€7–€10
- 🚇 Access: Anvers (L2), Abbesses (L12) + steps/funicular
- 💡 Tip: Sunset on the steps is lively; watch your belongings.
14) 59 Rivoli 🎭
A vibrant artist squat-turned-collective with open studios and rotating exhibitions—colorful, creative, and welcoming.
- 📍 Address: 59 Rue de Rivoli, 75001
- 🕒 Hours: ~13:00–20:00 (closed Tue)
- 💶 Price: Often free; donations appreciated
- 🚇 Access: Châtelet (many lines), Louvre–Rivoli (L1)
- 💡 Tip: Chat with resident artists—many are happy to share their process.
15) Mur des Je T’aime 💙
A blue wall covered with “I love you” in 300+ languages, tucked in a small square at Abbesses—sweet and photogenic.
- 📍 Address: Square Jehan Rictus, Place des Abbesses, 75018
- 🕒 Hours: Park hours vary by season (~08:00–20:30)
- 💶 Price: Free
- 🚇 Access: Abbesses (L12)
- 💡 Tip: Combine with Place du Tertre and Sacré-Cœur nearby.
16) Place du Tertre 🖌️
Montmartre’s artists’ square where painters sketch portraits and sell works; touristy but charming.
- 📍 Address: Place du Tertre, 75018
- 🕒 Hours: 24/7 square; artists by day/evening
- 💶 Price: Free to wander; art varies
- 🚇 Access: Abbesses (L12), Anvers (L2)
- 💡 Tip: Early morning keeps the ambiance without the crush.
17) Medici Fountain (Luxembourg) ⛲
A poetic Baroque fountain in the Luxembourg Gardens, framed by trees and benches—ideal for a quiet pause.
- 📍 Address: Jardin du Luxembourg, 75006
- 🕒 Hours: Garden opens sunrise–sunset (seasonal)
- 💶 Price: Free
- 🚇 Access: Odéon (L4, L10), RER B Luxembourg
- 💡 Tip: Visit in autumn for golden leaves over the basin.
18) Palais Garnier 🎼
Napoleon III-era opera house with grand marble staircases, a Chagall ceiling, and lavish foyers—opulent inside and out.
- 📍 Address: Place de l’Opéra, 75009
- 🕒 Hours: Self-guided visits usually daytime; performances evenings
- 💶 Price: Visit ~€15–€19; performances vary
- 🚇 Access: Opéra (L3, L7, L8), Auber (RER A)
- 💡 Tip: Book a daytime visit to access the Grand Foyer without crowds.
19) Passage des Panoramas ✨
One of the oldest covered passages (1799), lined with stamp shops, bistros, and vintage signage—atmospheric and cozy.
- 📍 Address: 11–13 Boulevard Montmartre / 151 Rue Montmartre, 75002
- 🕒 Hours: Typically ~06:00–00:00 (shops vary)
- 💶 Price: Free (dining extra)
- 🚇 Access: Grands Boulevards (L8, L9), Richelieu–Drouot (L8, L9)
- 💡 Tip: Look up for the glass canopy and old enamel signs.
20) Quai Saint-Bernard 💃
Seine riverbank near the Jardin des Plantes, where summer nights bring open-air salsa/tango; peaceful by day.
- 📍 Address: Quai Saint-Bernard, 75005 (between Sully and Austerlitz bridges)
- 🕒 Hours: 24/7 riverbank
- 💶 Price: Free (dance events often free/hat)
- 🚇 Access: Jussieu (L7, L10), Gare d’Austerlitz (L5, L10, RER C)
- 💡 Tip: Bring a picnic; evenings can be breezy—pack a light layer.
21) BnF Richelieu (Library) 📚
Recently revamped historic site of the National Library with a breathtaking oval reading room and museum spaces.
- 📍 Address: 5 Rue Vivienne, 75002
- 🕒 Hours: Museum/rooms hours vary; generally daytime Tue–Sun
- 💶 Price: ~€10 museum; reading rooms access by pass/rules
- 🚇 Access: Bourse (L3), Palais Royal (L1, L7)
- 💡 Tip: Check for temporary exhibitions in the galleries.
22) Café de Flore ☕
Historic Left Bank café frequented by writers and artists; classic Art-Deco interior and terrace for prime people-watching.
- 📍 Address: 172 Boulevard Saint-Germain, 75006
- 🕒 Hours: ~07:30–01:30 daily
- 💶 Price: Coffee ~€6–€8; meals à la carte
- 🚇 Access: Saint-Germain-des-Prés (L4)
- 💡 Tip: Arrive off-peak (late morning) to snag a terrace table.
23) Eiffel Tower View from Métro Line 6 🚆
Between Passy and Bir-Hakeim, Line 6 emerges above ground for cinematic views of the Eiffel Tower—classic, quick, and cheap.
- 📍 Address: Viaduct section near Bir-Hakeim, 75015/16
- 🕒 Hours: Métro ~05:30–01:15 (weekends later)
- 💶 Price: Standard métro ticket
- 🚇 Access: Bir-Hakeim (L6), Passy (L6)
- 💡 Tip: Sit on the right-hand side when going towards Nation for the best angle.
24) La Maison Rose (Montmartre) 🍽️
Pastel-pink Montmartre restaurant immortalized by painters and Instagram alike; a postcard on a corner.
- 📍 Address: 2 Rue de l’Abreuvoir, 75018
- 🕒 Hours: Lunch & dinner; days off vary
- 💶 Price: Mains ~€18–€30
- 🚇 Access: Lamarck–Caulaincourt (L12), Abbesses (L12)
- 💡 Tip: Book ahead; stroll Rue de l’Abreuvoir for views.
25) Musée d’Orsay ⏱️
Masterpieces of Impressionism/Post-Impressionism in a grand Beaux-Arts train station—Monet, Degas, Van Gogh, and more.
- 📍 Address: 1 Rue de la Légion d’Honneur, 75007
- 🕒 Hours: ~09:30–18:00; late Thu; closed Mon
- 💶 Price: ~€16–€17
- 🚇 Access: Solférino (L12), RER C Musée d’Orsay
- 💡 Tip: The clock-window on the upper floor is a must-photo spot.
26) Musée Gustave Moreau 🖼️
An intimate former home-studio of symbolist painter Gustave Moreau—spiral staircase, salons, and richly detailed canvases.
- 📍 Address: 14 Rue de la Rochefoucauld, 75009
- 🕒 Hours: ~10:00–18:00; closed Tue
- 💶 Price: ~€7–€10
- 🚇 Access: Trinité–d’Estienne d’Orves (L12)
- 💡 Tip: Combine with nearby Nouvelle Athènes mansions.
27) Tuileries Garden 🌾
Formal gardens between the Louvre and Place de la Concorde; chairs by basins, statues, and seasonal fairs.
- 📍 Address: Jardin des Tuileries, 75001
- 🕒 Hours: ~07:00–21:00 (seasonal)
- 💶 Price: Free
- 🚇 Access: Tuileries (L1), Concorde (L1, L8, L12)
- 💡 Tip: Take a break by the octagonal basin with a takeaway coffee.
28) Galerie Vivienne 🌟
Elegant covered passage with mosaic floors, classic boutiques, wine bars; refined and atmospheric.
- 📍 Address: 5 Rue de la Banque / 4 Rue des Petits Champs, 75002
- 🕒 Hours: Passage daytime–evening; shops vary
- 💶 Price: Free
- 🚇 Access: Bourse (L3), Palais Royal–Musée du Louvre (L1, L7)
- 💡 Tip: Pop into an old-school wine shop for a Parisian apéro.
29) Notre-Dame de Paris 🕍
Gothic masterpiece on the Île de la Cité; exterior and surroundings remain emblematic while restoration continues.
- 📍 Address: Parvis Notre-Dame – Place Jean-Paul II, 75004
- 🕒 Hours: Exterior 24/7; interior access depends on restoration phases
- 💶 Price: Parvis free; treasury/tower visits ticketed when available
- 🚇 Access: Cité (L4), Saint-Michel–Notre-Dame (RER B/C)
- 💡 Tip: Walk the Seine quays to Square du Vert-Galant at sunset.
30) Trocadéro (Place du Trocadéro) 🗼
The classic esplanade facing the Eiffel Tower with wide steps and fountains—prime photo vantage day or night.
- 📍 Address: Place du Trocadéro et du 11 Novembre, 75016
- 🕒 Hours: 24/7 public square
- 💶 Price: Free
- 🚇 Access: Trocadéro (L6, L9)
- 💡 Tip: Arrive pre-sunrise for empty frames; beware of pickpockets.
Bonus Set – Don’t Miss These, Too
✅ Final Tips
- Reserve popular attractions in advance (Louvre, Orsay, Palais Garnier).
- Use the métro (carnet/app or Navigo Easy) and wear comfy walking shoes.
- Check official websites the day before for updated hours or closures.
With this checklist, you’re set to experience Paris like a pro—mix icons with hidden gems, pause in cafés, and let the city’s rhythm guide you. Bon voyage! ✨